London grammar and private senior school entry 2025 part 2

[CruCru]

Here is the new thread for when part 1 is full.

Regarding how frequently this sort of thing happens... on further thought, it probably depends on the schools involved. To take what is probably an extreme example, Bute House regularly sends 20 girls a year to St Paul's Girl's School. If the head of Bute House calls up and says that "your feedback is that girl X isn't strong enough at math to interview but our assessments indicate that she's as strong as the 40 girls you've taken from us over the last couple of years", I suspect that SPGS might consider the additional information. And, as Bute House girls are getting something like 20 places a year, I expect that far more than 20 must apply each year, so the head of Bute House might well need to make calls on behalf of several girls each year. Just to SPGS, and then think about G&LS, etc.

But the head of a prep which sends only one child every few years to a given senior school... I can see how they'd be making far fewer calls.

Our London prep was asked for references by all the schools to which DC applied. Do the independent senior schools in your area not ask for references from the primary schools?

Our prep was told which children were being granted or denied interviews before we the parents were informed. Similarly, they were told the outcomes at least a day before we were.

The email from LU did come eventually at 11.30 and was a yes in case it helps anyone in the future.

Did anyone get an offer from Thomas’ College? How are you feeling about it? We did but I am very aware it is a new school. Love the ethos though.

Any St John’s offers yet?

We did as well, I’m giving it serious consideration as they’ve brought in an impressive sounding head and also the proposition is very interesting!

We are also considering Thomas’s (also love the ethos plus have been impressed with all staff involved in the process - they made a real effort to make our child feel comfortable and welcomed). It does feel like a bit of a ‘wild card’ option though, given it will be so new

Do you know if independent schools know about the offers and bursaries that other independent schools make?
I'm asking because DC got an offer letter from school A on Tuesday (no bursary), and then an offer letter from school B on Thursday (50% bursary). 30 minutes later on Thursday, I got a call from school B that they had made a mistake on the offer letter and we got 30% bursary. Today Friday, DC got another offer letter from school C (no bursary), and the same day school A sendt another email, mentioning that there was a mistake in the bursary letter, and now it's still 30% but with an academic scholarship! So bursary and scholarship will cover 50% of the fees.
We are very pleased with all the offers, but we found all the amendments to the offer very strange after receiving the other school's results.

And yes for spgs for us, on holiday atm.

Does sound very unusual. You’d think they would triple check the detail before sending out. I appreciate they are handling volume but for two schools to make errors is very frustrating for you.

Great results though so well done to your DC!

Thank you! sorry, just noticed that I quoted one school wrong. So only school A has been amending its offer. We have 3 offer letters from School A, each time it gets better, but it just makes me wonder why they amend it every time after we get another offer.

I’d be tempted to email them and ask them to be very clear on what they are offering once and for all so that you are equipped to make the decision.

Good idea, I hadn't thought about that. Thank you!

Will be catching up later, just wanted to say many congrats to all. For us, we wanted to wait for state option to put everything in consideration. So still another wait till 04.03?

I have been wondering this too if we get a grammar school place. Is an academic scholarship with all the promises of additional opportunities more valuable than a place at a more academic school where everyone is classified as 'gifted and talented'. Is any of that worth the £30k ish it would cost compared to a grammar school place!

Well done to all the children!

My daughter got offers at all her schools - we are very relieved!

Two years ago, I remember that 80% of the school decisions were released by 10 AM, and 100% of the offers were made by midday for both girls' and co-ed schools we applied.

I hope this year (and every year) will be the same and that schools won't keep parents waiting too long before the half-term break.

With regards to the topic of prep head references, I don't think it matters much. You will hear some prep schools say it is really important and makes a huge difference in influencing decisions, while the admission team would categorically deny this. One will never know the truth. The fact is, some parents who are desperate for certain outcomes will always try, while others may be less concerned about it.

Personally, if I knew that a certain school operated this way, I would rate the school down because it is trying to offer a backdoor that is not accessible to all the applicants, e.g. kids from schools who haven't got access to these.

Huge congratulations to you!! I am glad it all worked out and thank you for sharing your experience. I am sure many will appreciate the post you write detailing about the bursary journey.

Any drawbacks to the scholarships? Is more expected of you? Interested in sports in particular.

This was exactly my experience! Was a lot easier when I applied with my DC from a state school and to be fair the head supported their application. DC2 is in a prep school and it’s been as PP said politics coupled with the fact that our prep school has become a through school and are struggling for numbers to hang on to. As others have said, it all ends well in the end. Good luck everyone!

Well done to all the children! Especially to those who worked hard & threw themselves into this wild process - whatever their offers were today.

Odd for a school to make 3 offers with each offering a bigger discount.

To be honest it sounds like a school that offered early and fears it might not be people’s first choice. As the days have passed and you haven’t accepted, they are trying to reel you in with more generous offers.

I don’t actually think they can know about other scholarship offers, but they will know the rates other schools offer…and when they know other offers are out and you still haven’t accepted them, they know you’ve probably got a preferred offer.

It is so unlikely to be an error, but the school anxiously looking at its acceptances and wanting to fill places.

In the end, 50% is of course a massive saving. And it could well swing it for most people IF the decision is marginal between that school and others. If finances are extremely tight, it would be fair enough to let the money net talk. Otherwise, I’d consider carefully if the school is of the same calibre as the others and try not to let the scholarship impact decision too much.

Schooarships are v much marketing tools, esp when small amounts. It’s of course flattering to receive one and to feel the school really want you. Fair enough if it was top choice anyway, but I wonder how many people then rej cr their top choice that didn’t offer a scholarship for a small scholarship at a less favoured school. It certainly happens as schools wouldn’t bother with them otherwise.

Congrats to everyon with others. And to those weighing choices, especially when scholarships are involved, I wish you clarity of thought and peace in your decision making. Hope there have been lots of favourite dinners served to lots of pleased and relieved children tonight.

That’s a key question for lots of people.

It’s often those who would get state grammar places (especially super selective) that get the bigger scholarship offers. Independents know those state grammars offer a lot for free and want to attract the really clever kids.

Personally, unless extremely rich and the fees being of little consequence, I’d probably go with the state grammar, if it was within decent travelling distance - and distance is definitely a factor. Yes, the private (especially if big and well known) will give a different experience and they will sell themselves on extra curriculars and extras for scholarship kids. But most state grammars have excellent extra curricular provision and esp in super selective grammars and those in more affluent areas, lots will be provided and the cohort similar in lots of ways. There may well be less of a range of academic ability too if especially selective, so yes everyone is effectively gifted and talented. Hard choices and hard not to be swayed by lovely facilities especially if you’ve visited several times for exam, interviews, offer holder day etc and really been wooed by them.

They will prioritise bursaries for those girls or boys who are also to be their scholars. But if they can get scholars and not needing a bursary, I imagine in the current climate, they will be given priority.

well the government will not have helped this situation whatsoever as now schools will be looking to offer lesser bursaries so the gap will get wider.